Thinking of painting your furniture? Details can make all the difference

I think you have often wondered why the objects you paint yourself, following the exact instructions in the tutorials, end up looking different from the ones shown. I think I have an answer for you: brushes. They are responsible for the final look when it comes to hand-applied finishing materials. There are all kinds of furniture paint brushes in the shops - large or small, synthetic or natural hair, thick or thin. In the past, when I bought brushes for a DIY project, I didn't place much importance on the brushes. I would check that they weren't too stiff, so they wouldn't scratch, and that the bristles were secure. I didn't think much of anything else. But I did go to a Annie Sloan workshop and saw what a good brush is and what you can do with it.

As you know, Annie Sloan is a paint innovator. She started out decorating and reinventing furniture and interiors and has gone on to totally revolutionise the field, creating paints and utensils that make work easier and the results outstanding. And so he did with paint brushes. They can be used to paint, wax, print or mix. You can get interesting effects, and the end result is very good even if you're not a great specialist. Annie Sloan brushes are of very good quality, made of natural or synthetic bristles, with special shapes that help to achieve quality applications. They are made especially for Annie in Italy. Let's take a look at what's special about these brushes.

Round brushes for paint applicationare made from wild boar hair, which is firmer than other animals' hair and thus gives a textured finish and an antique, antiqued look. They are great for applying mineral or chalky paints. The hair is strong, firm but flexible at the same time. Why are these brushes better for applying paints? Here are some explanations:

• hold paint better, fixing a larger quantity between the bristles. The fact that they are round, like a tuft, allows the applicator to take a larger amount of paint without the risk of droplets or smudges.
• reduce working time. By retaining more paint you can cover a larger area in one soak, eliminating much of the "feeding" time.
• reduce consumption. No drips and spills automatically reduces overall paint consumption.
• apply bettereven in hard-to-reach places. The round shape, with shorter brushes on the outside, allows easier access in corners or grooves while painting all sides.

Brushes come in 3 sizes: large, medium and small. The large one is 26.5 cm long and 6.5 cm in diameter (in the area of the metal clamp), the medium one is 25 cm long and 5 cm in diameter, and the small one is 22 cm long and 4.5 cm in diameter.

Flat brushes for paint applicationare made of synthetic fibres, soft, with a pleasant, silky look and feel. They are made especially for Annie Sloan paints and can be used to achieve smooth, modern surfaces. They too are designed to hold more paint, but their main quality is that they apply paint evenly and without streaking. So, unlike round brushes, you can achieve very straight, totally untextured surfaces, contradicting those who say you can't get modern finishes with Annie Sloan paints. And if the final coat of wax is polished, high gloss surfaces are achieved.

These brushes come in two versions, wide and narrow.

Round wax brushesthey're... round and they're made of boar hair. The shape of the tuft is tapered precisely so they can get into the most hidden places, in corners and grooves. The shape is not achieved by cutting the yarns after fitting but by laying them from the start, being shorter on the outside of the tuft and longer on the inside. The firm bristles and special shape help to retain more wax, which is released gradually, not in clumps. It's perfect for applying as precise a quantity as possible, and the waxing operation goes much faster.

It is recommended that wax be applied in circles first, but always finish along the grain. You don't have to insist too much because the special shape of the brush allows the wax to settle quickly and well on the surface, getting into all the "nooks and crannies". No more force should be applied than for painting. Because of this ability to coat and penetrate the wood structure, the waxed surface will resist 30% longer than a surface to which wax has been applied with a rag. Finally, any excess is removed with a cloth. If a glossy finish is desired, the wax should be allowed to dry for one day before polishing.

The wax brushes come in two sizes, small and large, the small one being 17 cm long and the large one 24 cm long. The small one can be used to apply wax to hard-to-reach areas as well as to furniture surfaces. The large ones are for very large pieces to increase the application yield. They are very ergonomic and easy to handle.

As I said, the brushes are made in Italy, especially for Annie Sloan, to the highest quality standard. The metal part of the wax brushes is wider compared to other brushes. The aim is to be able to work and hold it on that side, as Annie is used to working. The bristles of the tweezers are bonded with a very strong adhesive - 2-component epoxy glue - making it impossible for them to come loose. When new it can have strands that have "escaped" unclipped into the tuft. It is therefore recommended to wash the brushes a few times before use. Once the "stubborn" hairs have been removed you will never be surprised to lose hairs from the brush again. Basically, over time, the brush will shred, but the hair will not come loose. They're brushes for life.

And to anticipate a question - the brushes can also be found in Romania, at Annie Sloan distributors. Some of them you already know about (Miercurea Ciuc, Bucharest, Brasov, Târgu Mureș), and about others (Satu Mare,Iasi) I'll tell you more soon. And I have a surprise for the people of Sättemberg. Using the promo code DBMZQI I can get 10% discount on the whole range of Annie Sloan products from Cochet Home Decor, the distributor Annie Sloan from Satu Mare.